Frankincense Oil

Frankincense Oil (Boswellia carterii)

By Hwaa Irfan

Native to Somalia, the tree Boswellia carterii has its place firmly planted in medicinal and religious history. Known as Moxor in Somal, and al–liban Arabic (from which its other the name Olibanum is derived), the gum from the stems of this tree, frankincense is an everyday item that is chewed much like chewing gum, lacking flavor, but strengthening and whitening the teeth as it is chewed. Protected by the lifestyle of the desert Bedouin for thousands of years, the resin/gum is in response to a cut/wound to the tree, and in turn the resin/gum heals the wounds of the tree, having the same affect on the human body.

There are other species which originate from northwest India, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Yemen, but the Boswallia carterii named after an English botanist originates from the Dhofar Valley of Somalia. The trees may have been plentiful enough at one time for the resin to have been exported to China, as records demonstrate exports to China during the Ming Dynasty as the time of Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon. The Roman emperor Nero burned tons on the many funeral pyres during his time. The earliest records to date of use are those found in an ancient Egyptian tomb during the time of Queen Hatsheput, and again during the time of the boy who would be king, Tutankhamen. Frankincense was burned by the ancient Egyptians, and is still burned today as an incense. The ancient Egyptians also burned the resin into a powder called kohl, the earliest form of eyeliner still used today, but not made from frankincense.

Frankincense belongs to the Burseraceae family of the plant kingdom. Meaning dry fire, Burseraceae grows in areas where the heat is very strong (fire), and the climate very dry. Being a member of the Burseraceae, the qualities of frankincense oil, which according to Marcel Lavabre, filters the sun’s rays, and freshens the air around them, the nature of which makes them strong anti-inflammatory. The members of the Burseraceae family act on the fire in the body, which transpires as upper respiratory tract infections. The other qualities that the Burseraceae family take from their environment is the essence of infinity thus elevating the soul, which transpires as being supportive of the practice of meditation; and is the reason why since antiquity, frankincense has been used for religious ceremonies. It is for this reason that the Latin/botanical sometimes used is Boswellia sacra.

This evergreen tree is far from attractive, looking aged and snarled, with an ancient quality about its thick bark with white patches. Only growing to a maximum height of 15 feet, the trunk is not long portraying bonsai-like features before it branches out with scanty, curled leaves.

The flowers compensate for the appearance of the tree although not plentiful, bearing marble-sized berries

The human relationship with offerings of the tree are very strong, describing the resin/gum as noble as it protects the tree from infestations both fungal and of the crawling kind. Even in the market, the resin/gum is described as ‘tears’, as it is the result of the tree being wounded. This is probably best understood through the exploitation of accessible trees, where those who sell the resin are offered low prices. The best resin-tears are the first tears, which are yellow in colour, and gets darker each time the tree is tapped/wounded. Ideally, a tree should not be tapped more than twice a year, but in practice, meeting demand, the first ‘phase of tapping takes place Jan- Mar, the second, August – October. An incision is made by the tapper, and a white emulsion appears. On contact with air, the emulsion congeals into ‘tears’ turning pale yellow – dark amber depending on the amount of tapping, and the age of the tree. As a horse is put to pasture after years of hard labour, the Boswellia carterii tree is given a chance to rest after 5 – 6 years.

Today, the main supply of frankincense is from Somalia, with Oman exporting in limited amounts. Sometimes frankincense essential oil can be found under the name ‘African elemi’, not to be confused with Elemi essential oil from Philippines. Frankincense essential oil is steam distilled from the resin. When buying look for a slightly viscous with the best quality a pale yellow, with an essential balsamic aroma fused with a woody camphoraceous-cum-lemon scent. Unfortunately one can find adulterated frankincense essential oil o the market, often with a turpentine-like solvent or synthetic alpha-pinene with an aroma that does not last long.

Chemical Properties

Frankincense is non-toxic. Some of the bioactive constituents of Frankincense essential oil are:

1-a-pinene

β- pinene

Borneol

Cadinene

Camphene

Cembrane A

Cembrane C

Cymene

Dipentene

Farnesol

Incensole

Limonene

Linalool

Myrcene

Ocimene

Octanol

Octyl acetate

Olibanol Verbenone, verbenol, and some other terpene alcohols

Phellandrene

Sabinene

Terpinene

Thujone

Verbene

The Academy of Science in Leipzig, Germany have found that the chemical tetrahydrocannabinol is produced on burning the resin, and it is believed that this compound is responsible for expanding the subconscious. The sesquiterpenes help to oxygenate the pineal and pituitary glands.

The monoterpenes pinene, dipentene, phellandrene, cymene, myrcene, terpinene are well known for their anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and astringent effect; and verbene is a powerful antifungal, which is helpful in preventing infection of wounds along with its antiseptic action in the prevention of sepsis in slow healing wounds.

The essential oil of Boswellia carterii in clinical trials exhibited the ability to inhibit the causative virus in Epstein-Barr disease.

Inhalation of Frankincense slows and deepens the breath and is calming and relaxing.

Therapeutic Properties

Frankincense essential oil has an uplifting aroma, which is important in vapour therapy for clearing the head, easing the mind, releasing emotional blockages, aligning the physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies, and meditation. The breath slows, and deepens bringing about calm. Some of the therapeutic properties are:

The powerful astringent quality contracts the gums, and blood vessels. The aroma instills deep breathing allowing for greater calm, and clarity helping a person to feel centered, facilitates emotional healing, and move into a state of meditation if desired. In Islamic medicinal practice (Tibb-e-Nabi) frankincense is used as a germicide, for stomach pains, to heal wounds, upper respiratory tract infections, eczema, for arthritis, and as an insecticide.

Contraindications

None yet indicated.

Indications

The oil can only be used for external use, and when used it should be diluted by means of Carrier Oilslike Sweet Almond Oil. Drops of no more than 5 should be used for:

Quote…

Peace be upon you and peace be upon us.
May You be in peace and may we be in peace.
Peace be upon those who returned the greeting and even upon those who did not.
Peace, in the name of the lord of peace, the lord of mankind, the god of eternity.
Peace in which we prospered.
Peace mixed with the earth of this country.
Peace in which we no longer live.
Peace which no longer lives in us.
Peace we keep an eye on while it packs its bags.
To abandon our lands, little by little.
And it is replaced by surrender and submission to an islamisation in which there is no islam.
As if the islam of our grandparents no longer had anything to do with us.
Do you know why peace is abandoning us?
Do you know why darkness is all around us?
To put it simply, because we are a society that fears.
We are a society afraid of difference.
My words will not please some of you, or most of you, or all of you - i know.
But i will say them because i refuse to be one of the herd.
We are a society which refuses to admit that it is a society that lives in ignorance.
We are a society that shots with all audacity and pretends that it carries a different message.
We are a society that loves to claim superiority without having a valid reason.
And pretends that it is an educated society. It is sickening!
Among us, the acceptance of difference is nothing but a cover.
The difference in colour does us harm.
The difference in shape does us harm.
The difference in thinking does us harm.
The difference in religion does us harm.
Even the difference in gender does us harm.
That is why we try to kill any difference in our midst.
We have turned into a lethal poison for each other.
We are a society more stupid than stupidity itself.
Yes, we are a society more stupid that stupidity itself.
We fight over silly things, over delusions, over superstitions
While always refusing to look into the root of the problem.
And none of us is innocent of that. No!
No citizens nor politicians.
No those who find comfort in silence.
Nor those who pretend to be saints.
Nor those who follow the west blindly.
Nor those who pretend to go back to the glory of the caliphate and the slave markets.
And to the amputation of the limbs of those who differ.
Today, let us try to look inside ourselves
Inside the depth of our souls.
Let us try to embrace our souls.
Let us try to embrace our differences with our souls.
Here i am, before you, with my colour, with my hair, with my poetry, with my peculiarities, with my ideas.
I am not afraid of you.
I don’t fear that you’re different from me because i am part of you and you are part of me.
Let us create art. Let us grasp the dream.
So we can erect a culture without stupidity,
So our sophistication becomes the best of caliphates.
Let us melt away the traditions, the classes, the types, the ideas, the colours and the religions.
So we see nothing except the human being.

Dance of the Heart

Rejuvenate your Life with Aloe Vera

The pain you create now is always some form of non acceptance, some form of unconscious resistance to what is.

On the level of thought, the resistance is some form of judgement.

On the emotional level, it is some form of negativity.

The intensity of the pain depends on the degree of resistance to the present moment , and this in turn depends on how strongly you are identified with your mind.

The mind always seeks to deny the Now and to escape from it.

In other words, the more you are identified with your mind, the more you suffer.
Or you may put it like this the more you are able to honour and accept the Now,the more you are free of pain, of suffering and free of egoic mind.

Why does the mind habitually deny or resist the NOW?

Because it cannot function and remain in control without time,which is past and future,so it perceives the timeless Now as threatening.

Time and mind are infact inseparable .

Sunday Wire

Reader’s Reflections…

From Robert on San Francisco Judges Dismiss 66,000 Arrest Warrants against the Homeless*

Living on the streets cuts an average of 25 years from a person's life and degrades the quality of life for everyone. Another feature of the homeless population in San Francisco is that many of these people are simply too ill to care for themselves. We're almost half a century into the failure of the social experiment that closed the State Hospitals and no closer to ending the experiment now than when our media first noticed the experiment had failed in the 1980's.

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From Chatty on One Corrupt President Ousted*
What do you know, a democratic breath of fresh air SOMEWHERE in the world...amazing. I'm glad the people's voices were heard and the police did their jobs. Fantastic, and I hope South Korea can heal from this and get good leadership.

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From Joann on One Corrupt President Ousted*

Such a sorry business, sorry for the South Korean people, and sorry for former President Park Geun-hye (so foolish and weak). But I am very glad truth was revealed, and we may hope for fair punishment, and perhaps rehabilitation, involving prison time. This needs to become a world-wide trend.

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From Necltr on World Bank Declares itself Above the Law*
World Bank, World Loan Shark, to use selected politicians and troops to take over every nation and all of humanity

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From TheChattyIntrovert on India’s Cashless Villages not Really There Yet, But the Nightmare Has Begun*

I'm too paranoid to believe in a cashless society myself--too much identity theft here in the states, and too damned easy when everything's done electronically.

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From Mark on Jury Refuses to Convict Activist for Shutting Down Pipeline*

This is why the ruling elite have nearly eliminated jury trials.
If you didn’t know that your democratic rights to trials by jury had been eliminated for everything but felony charges, see http://americanjurypower.org/home/no_right.php and don’t miss the supreme court case at the link in that article in which 5 so-called conservative, strict constructionist justices found an invisible word in 2 clauses in that quaint old constitution in the ruling elite’s latest effort to convert a justice system designed to be controlled by the people into one controlled by the ruling elite.

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From N on Scientists Find Fluoride Causes Hypothyroidism Leading To Depression, Weight Gain, and Worse…*
For ambitious global tyrants, fluoridation is part of a win-win-win-... program; for at least 6.5 billion people it is lose-lose-lose... Lose mental capacity of ourselves and children, lose length of life, lose, free will ... For the Globalists, win a servile, depopulated humanity with no ability to know what is happening to them, let alone a capacity to solve their problems.

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From M… on New Report Exposes Rockefeller Dynasty’s Role in “Climate” Scam*
John D., Sr. had a brother, William Avery, with whom he founded Standard Oil and worked until William's death. The families still work cooperatively, like the Rothschilds, but in a smaller way. When you think of petroleum and banking in this country, think Rockefeller. Their man Nixon took us off the gold standard and prevented the silver certificate, replacing precious metals with the petrodollar. Think of global power possibilities with a monopoly of that liquid black gold, especially when accompanied with the fiction of supply limitation held for many decades.

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From Neben on The Taino of the Caribbean: the People Who Do Not Exist

I am Taino and Caiqueto, living in Georgia. We must unite here in the continental U.S.

My family are indigenous to "Hispaniola", "Puerto Rico", Aruba and Curacao. I have family members in Florida, New York, and other states.

We do and have always existed. These settlers and colonists need to be told our lives matter.

Even if our African brothers and sisters were brought here, or even travelled here on their own (many did), they became us. Not we became them. When you immigrate you assume the tribal identities and customs of the host nation. These colonialists know this so they lie and say our people no longer exist, and/or say that only mixed people and descendants of black slaves exist in the Caribbean. These are all lies. They have brainwashed people into voiding our birthright and inheritance!!!!

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From Chief Pedro Guanikeyu Torres on The Taino of the Caribbean: the People Who Do Not Exist

I find this blog article most interesting and it made me smile at the same time to see an old letter that my tribal council and I had published in Puerto Rico some 46 years ago and addressed to the Puerto Rican people as it make me feel really old today at 65 year of age today. Respectfully yours, Chief Pedro Guanikeyu Torres, Jatibonicu Taino People of Boriken (Puerto Rico) Tribal Government of the Jatibonicu Taino People of Puerto Rico

Moral Tales

“To be in ‘Islam’ is to be in that state of willingness to surrender, to let go of anything. It is the beginning of the awakening of intelligence . If you’re willing to let go of everything, whatever anxieties, fears, expectations , or desires you have, then your energy is available. Your intelligence sharper. Your actions more successful because you can see whether they relate or not.” – Sheikh Fadhlalla Haeri

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Community Notice Board

The topocentric New Moon Conjunction for the lunar month of Sha'aban will occur on Wednesday, the 26th of March 2017, at 22:32 AEST (10:32pm Sydney time).

The correct date to observe the crescent of Sha'aban is upon sunset of Thursday, the 27th of April 2017.

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The course will cover:
Life’s Forgotten Purpose: Prayer
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Price: Early Bird discount: £30

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{Surely they who divided their religion into parts and became sects, you have no concern with them; their affair is only with Allah, then He will inform them of what they did” – An.Anam 6:159).